Category: Part 1
IELTS Speaking Practice Test 3: Family
Part 1 (4-5 minutes)
How large or small is your family?
What you do together as a family?
Who are you closest to in your family?
Is yours a typical family?
Are there many different types of family in your country?
Part 2 (3-4 minutes)
You have 1 minute to read the instructions in the box and prepare an answer. You can make notes. After your preparation time has ended, please speak for 1 to 2 minutes on this topic.
Describe a famous family in your country
You should say:
Who the family members are
How you know about them
Whether they get on well together
And say if you would like to be a member of this family
Follow-up question: Does your family resemble this one?
Part 3 (4-5 minutes)
Family members
What characteristics do elder siblings often have?
Is it better to grow up in a small family or a large extended family?
What role do grandparents play in a family?
Family values
Which are more important: family or friends?
What do you think about single parent families?
Should people be more accepting of alternative family types?
Click here to download a PDF version of this IELTS Speaking practice test for classroom use.
IELTS Speaking Part 1: 50 Practice Questions by Topic
You and IELTS
- Why are you taking IELTS?
- How many times have you taken IELTS?
- What do you enjoy about learning English?
- Is there anything you dislike about learning English?
- How will you use English in future?
Lifestyle
- What do you do in your free time?
- Do you have a busy social life?
- Do you lead an active life?
- Has your life changed much in the last year?
- What would you like to change about your lifestyle?
Family
- How many people are there in your immediate family?
- Who do you get on best with in your family?
- Do you have a large extended family?
- What do you do together with your family?
- Why is family important to you?
Friends
- Do you have a lot of friends?
- Who is your best friend and why?
- Who would you most like to be friends with and why?
- What kind of person is it easy to make friends with?
- Who are more important to you, friends or family?
Work
- Do you have a job right now?
- What did you want to be when you were a child?
- Are there good job opportunities in your home country?
- What job do you think you will be doing in five years?
- What skills and qualifications are required for this job?
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IELTS Speaking Part 1: Useful Language
In the interview part of the IELTS Speaking test, you’re simply asked questions about yourself and other familiar topics. The examiner will be listening for how well you express yourself in a few words or sentences.
Of course, you should try to do more than simply answer the question if you want to achieve a high score. The following useful language will give you ideas for expanding an answer by talking about the past, present and future. It will also help you speak more fluently and with an awareness of collocation and idiomatic speech. Some idiomatic expressions are explained in parentheses.
Asking for repetition
- Could you say that again?
- I’m sorry, I didn’t catch that.
- Did you say ( )?
Stalling for time
- Well, let me see.
- In my case, …
- Hmm, I’d have to say …
Saying something negative
- I’m sorry but …
- I’m afraid (to say that) …
- To be (perfectly) honest, …
Giving an example
- For example, …
- A good example is …
- Maybe you’ve heard of …
Describing frequency
- Every other day, … (= Frequently)
- Once in a while, … (= Occasionally)
- Once in a blue moon, … (= Rarely)
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IELTS Speaking: Emergency Language
In the Speaking module of IELTS, you may be asked a question you don’t understand. In such situations, you CAN ask for help from the examiner. The kind of help you will be given depends on the part of the test:
- In Part 1, the examiner can ONLY repeat the question.
- In Part 2, the examiner can answer your questions during the preparation time.
- In Part 3, the examiner can help you to understand the question.
The following useful language will enable you to get the help you need.
When you don’t hear the question
- I’m sorry, could you repeat that please?
- I’m sorry, I didn’t catch that.
- Would you mind saying that again?
When you don’t understand a particular word
- What does ( ) mean?
- Does ( ) mean ( )?
- Sorry, I’m not sure what ( ) means.
When you don’t understand the question
- I’m sorry, what do you mean exactly?
- Could you say that in other words?
- I’m afraid I’m not quite sure what you mean.
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IELTS Speaking Practice Test 2: Work
Part 1 (4-5 minutes)
Do you have a job right now?
What kind of work would you like to do in the future?
What qualifications are required for this job?
How many hours would you like to work each week?
Do you consider it important to have a career?
Part 2 (3-4 minutes)
You have 1 minute to read the instructions below and prepare an answer. You can make notes. After your preparation time has ended, please speak for 1 to 2 minutes on this topic.
Describe a job that you consider highly important
You should say:
what the job is
what the job involves
why it is important
and explain if people who do this job are appreciated enough by society
Follow-up question: Would you consider doing this job yourself?
Part 3 (4-5 minutes)
Jobs in your country
What jobs are most popular among young people these days?
Are there enough jobs for people who want to do this kind of work?
Is it easier to change jobs now than in the past?
Careers
Do people usually choose the right career?
Is it a good idea to leave a secure job in order to pursue a dream?
What career advice should be given to young people?
Click here to download a PDF version of this IELTS Speaking practice test for classroom use.
IELTS Speaking Practice Test 1: Childhood
PART 1 (4-5 minutes)
Where did you grow up?
Was that a good place to grow up?
What do you remember most about growing up?
What kind of child were you?
Did you ever get into trouble at home or school?
Do you miss anything about your childhood?
PART 2 (3-4 minutes)
You have 1 minute to read the instructions below and prepare an answer. You can make notes. After your preparation time has ended, please speak for 1 to 2 minutes on this topic.
Describe your best friend during childhood.
You should say:
who the person was
why you became friends
what you used to do together
and explain if you keep in touch with your friend now.
PART 3 (4-5 minutes)
Childhood friends
Do children find it easy to make friends?
Why do some people grow apart from their childhood friends?
Is it better for children to have a few close friends, or many?
Childhood changes
Has the image of childhood changed in your country?
At what age do children become adults?
Do you think children should be treated the same as adults?
Click here to download a PDF version of this IELTS Speaking practice test for classroom use.
IELTS Speaking: 10 Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Silence
Different cultures have different attitudes to silence, but for English speakers the attitude is one of near-zero tolerance. It’s fine to hesitate for a few seconds before speaking or between ideas, but silences of longer than five seconds will go down badly. Happily, there’s a solution to this problem and that’s to learn some filler expressions such as That’s a tough question and Let me see.
2. Memorised answers
The examiner is very likely to notice if you try to recite an answer from memory, and there is a penalty for this. The telltale signs of a memorised answer include speaking in a ‘written’ style of English, unnatural intonation, and the candidate attempting to ‘rephrase’ the question to the one they want to answer. Any questions you try to memorise answers to are very unlikely to be asked, so it is much more effective to practice speaking about a wide range of topics before you take the test.
3. Overuse of transition signals
It’s helpful to use a few signposting words like first, for example or on the other hand. But if you overload your speech with these you could actually damage your score. Sounding natural, not like a signposting robot, should be your goal in IELTS Speaking. There are also many words characteristic of formal writing such as furthermore, moreover and in addition that are hardly ever used in speech and could actually make you sound less natural if you say them.
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IELTS Speaking, Part 1: Practice Questions with Sample Answers
Try these IELTS Speaking practice questions with a partner first and then check below to compare the sample answers with your own. Remember, there is no correct way to answer questions in IELTS Speaking Part 1. You should, however, always do your best to avoid repeating back the question. You should also try to expand a little by giving a reason or example, or by making a comparison.
Topic: Reading and writing
1. Do you read a daily newspaper?
2. What kind of books do you like to read?
3. How often do you use a library?
4. How many hours a week do you spend reading?
5. Is there anything you find hard to read?
6. What kind of books did you read as a child?
7. What’s the last thing you read and enjoyed?
8. Have you ever kept a diary?
9. What’s the most popular newspaper in your country?
10. Would you ever write your own autobiography?
See below for sample answers and analysis
